Newspapers / Asheville Citizen (Asheville, N.C.) / Dec. 6, 1922, edition 1 / Page 1
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THE ASHEVILLE CITIZEN THE WEATHER WAHtNOTON, Dae. '. Forecast for North Carolina i Fair and cold, r WadnMdayi 'Thursday Increasing cloudiness. WATCH THE LABEL On your paper, It will toll ru rhn yeue aubeertptlen ouplrpa. lene fv day before aaplratlen, and y Wd mis ah issue. DEDICATED TO THE UP-BUILDING OF WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA" ESTABLISHED 1868. ASHEVILLE, N. C., WEDNESDAY MORINNG, DECEMBER 6, 1 922. PRICE RYE CENTS INITIATE MOVE TO SCRAP ELECTORAL COLLEGE reaty Makers At 1 Lausanne Seeking Harmonized Views SOME SUGGEST EAGUE SMW WAR ON TURKS Few More Stormy Ses sions Will Break up the Conference. ISMET PASHA SEES i ALLIED LEADUKS 'Alies Determined to Ig iBore Russian Attempts L to Speak for Turks. 1.ATTSANNE. Dec. 5. (By The Associated Press.) The treaty makers ut Lausanne devoted them selves today to an attempt to har rnonize tho divergent views of the various delegations; everybody seemed to realize that a few more Nectio sessions like that of yester Jay wouli break down the confer ence and. postpone Near Eastern j.eace Indefinitely. The Allied lead era held . long consultations to frame a common project for deal ing with the Dardanelles and are reported to hava succeeded in drafting a proposal permitting warships to use the straits undtr international control. The Indications tonight are that the straits discussion will be re sumed tomorrow when the entente countries will fall In with the Turkish suggestion and set fort:i their wishes. The Allies seemed Determined to ignore the Russian attempt to speak for Turkey and are determined also to convince the Kussian representatives that boisnevitc itusnia, us not aomiiiaup the straits discussion. The fact that Imot Pasha conferred with the Allied leaders helped to strengthen the Impression that If fhe conference is not vet out of danger It at least la not yet on the ocks. Another feature of the day was a pope's Intervention in behalf f tha Christiana in Constant! Turkey and Europe apparently Eve drifted ao far apart on the " at Issue of the Near Bast Co ence that tha pessimists have a ntful field for unhappy prognos- eations of a complete collapse of ie pourparlers and the resump- m of war in southeastern urope. Such a culmination of the con-rr-nce discussions could easily be rgued as a strong possibility, bu' ny such argument based on a reasonable hypothesis would leave cut the fact that Kurope need.1 t ace and that Turkey has con stantly proclaimed her need for H Udlng up international relations In acquiring capital to develop her Immense resources. The frenzied character of yes Icrday's proceedings, in which l:iHsla came to thfe fore as the willing champion of Turkish au tonomy, ia indicative of the ex treme nervousness pf Europe and the general unsettled conditions which provoked feelings of genuine ifspalr on the part of the con rence leaders. -. " So long as no actual break oc curs there is hope that time will bring conciliatory views. That the worst is anticipated, however, it CMtfcWMf r rw fM) A. & E. T. B Oil 0 I'J LL GOKIT TO BE OPERATED IN u Instruction of Dam for Beaver Lake Also As sured by Negotiations. Construction of tha dam for Beaver Lake, covering at least fit acres, as a part of the develop ment of Beaverdam Valley by the Lakevlew Corporaiipn and contin ued operation of the Ashevllle and Bast Tennessee Railroad la assur ed under negotiation now being completed, it waa announced Tues day. S. Sternberg, who purchased the Weaverville line at auction,- stated last night that those Interested In the new company belug 'formed had made satisfactory arrange ments for the purchase pf the rail road and the sale has been com pleted. While Dr. J. M. Crawford, on of the Weaverville residents inter ested in the company, declared that a conference of those Interest ed in the company held yesterday with Mr. Sternberg, waa satisfac tory to all concerned and the fu ture of the railroad la assured, It is yet too earlv to sav when the electric line will resume operation, j Under tha negotiation between incse interested in the railroad and the iAkeview Corporation, the latter will pay 13,000 for the land used by the railmart Hu-ht- f-way through the site of the proposed Beaver Lake and furnish a mile of new right-of-way at a higher level. Including the mov ing of the track. 1 While officials Interested In the development have mad no .uJtement jlnce the sale of th ejlroad to Ms. Sternberg, it was ated a ehort'ttme ago that work t constructing th dam would probably start within a few daya after all paper were signed, mak ing It possible to construct the lake. Carolina Leading In State Records As to Birth Rate Decline in Births and In crease in Deaths in Na tion At Large. WASHINGTON, Dec. 5. (By The Associated Press. ) A de clining; birth rate and an Increas ing death rate for 1922 ax com pared with 1921 were forecast to day by the census bureau which based its calculation on records for the first nix months of the year fin the registration area of the country, comprising' about 82 per cent of the total population of the I nlted States. The birth rate for the first sin months of this year was 22.7 per 1.000 population, while for th sime period of 1921 the rate was 24.8 and for the whole of last year 21.3. Ninth Carolina hud n highest rate for the half year, it tflng 30, while Virginia was sec ond with 27.5. Vermont had the lowest rate. 18.1. The de.ith rate for the six months ending June 30 this year was 12.8 per 1,000 population, while for the same period of 1921 the rate was 12. and for the whole of last year U.S. CLEMENCEAU IS VISITOR TUESRflV AT TE . Statesman Will Call On Wilson and Address Southern Society Today. WASHINGTON. Dec. G.-r-(By The Associated Press.) Georges Clemenceau visited the White House today and talked with President Harding for 40 minutes. But the subject near hi heart American ' participation in Euro pean affairs did not cam up. The visit was described at the White House a merely- a- social call pf courtesy at which, it was said, serious problems of State were not discussed. The Tiger said tonight It was a delightful visit" during which he gave the President his views about European conditions in general. He emphasized be did not ask the President for any assurances, pointing out that he was merely a private citizen of France and as sorting he had not gone to "preach to the President, but to pay my regards." If Clemenceau's picture of con ditions overseas had any effect on the Administration's foreign poli cies. It was not indicated in com ment at the White House loter on other subjects. With respect- to the Lausanne conference on tha Near fjaat, full participation in which has been suggested by Clemenceau, the President was said to feel that every proper In fluence of this Government and this Influence was described M great already was being exerted in a mariner believed to be In har mony with the best Judgment of the world statesmen who were fully in touch with the situation. As to the question of American mandates over territory once a part of the Ottoman empire, the President was said to "rejoice" that the United States had not as sumed a responsibility. -The ex ecutive was represented as feeling that America could not take upon its shoulders responsibility for di recting the affairs of the world. Clemenceau apparently enjoyed his talk with the President, which was the first event of a full day. He was smiling broadly when he emerged from the executive offices where he had been received and chatted so volubly with Jules J. Jusserand, the French ambassador who had presented hlra, that he forgot his hat ana naa to return for it. It waa his "tuble' the formal high hat which he had out of his luggage only once before, when he went to the opera In Chicago. . . But his smite vanisnea wnan saw tha usual battery of motion picture photographers and still camera men lined up. ' He posed for a moment with a frown and then, muttering something to Am Jusserand. turned away and entered his limousine, wmi several hundred persons who had collected to get a glimpse of him cheered. i hi,i been expected that tne French war premier would drive to Woodrow Wilson s a oir--v home from the Whit House but the visit' was postponed until to morrow afternoon to serve the former President's convenience. So the Tiger went sightseeing. iMhauniinr Jusserand took him first to the Lincoln MemorlalJ where he stood tor several min utes in silence before the heroic figure of Lincoln, In th vast col umn temDlc. Then he walked over and read the Gettysburg ad dress on the marble wall. Ignor ing workmen who wr hoisting buckets of iaint to the roof ho also pausal to read Lincoln' last lnaujural adiress, which is hewn Into the opposite wall. Emerging M. Jusserand pointed nn the reflecting pool under pro cess of construction between the memorial and the Washington monument and explained that In the morning it would mirror the tall Washington shaft, and In the afternoon wojjld reflect the me morial. Clemenceau then was driven to th monument but hi car circled cm rt rat E COWS COTTON AFFAIRS Will Get Behind Benefic ial Legislation in the Southern States. j MORE RESEARCH WORK IS FAVORED: W PERMANENT Wallace Tells South It Is j Montreal Mayor Has Pur First to Recover, ported "Klan" Messages Agriculturally. j Threatening Fires. MEMPHIS, Dec. 6. Permanent' organization of the Southern Cot-1 tun Commission, which for two i years h.-is operated as an unom- ' claj body to consider the problems ; of the cotton growers and to sug-j gest remedies for many of the ills from which the industry has suf- !..w..,i ... i,,.m,'..t th, clnKina- session here late toda yof the Southern-Cotton Congress. j Legislation providing for the . continuance of the nrnnlnllnn. with its membership named by the Governors or Legislature of the tton producing States was draft - .i and will lie euh- -,itio,i t.l the varhma I .eelsla tnres at Ihe e.irliest nossible moment. T.kin-T for .nni.il the adoollon of such legislation, the pernian - ent organization was formed with R O. Everett. Durham. N. C, as r-hairnmn ami Thorn B. Kine. of M.tmnhis. as Secretary. A legislature program for the cotton producing States which will h,.v. th- win,, of the Cmimla- Ii... .. u.u i u. ";.r'a,i "Th. States .. .Vi, .h Htt. nenartment of Agriculture in all matters if latlng to the eradication and con trol of crop pests, quarantine laws and also for making the recom- mendatlons of the Department and of the Cotton Commission effec tive In the various States, was drafted and approved. It was the understanding of the delegates, of ficers said, that eaclState would seek to have adopted'that part of the legislative program which was needed to supplement or strength en existing lawa or which might be made necessary by develop ments in the fjiture. Legislation for More Research Is Endorsed. The Commission went on rec ord as strongly endorsing any leg islation that would provide for' more research work, both by the IMmartment of Agriculture ani the States which would aid the cotton ; growing In - increasing or improving hiyield or in the con trol of insect pests. ; The pressing need for additional experimental stations for the study of cotton enemies and-diseases was stressed. At the closing session. Secretary of Agriculture Wallace pledged the support of his Department to the proposed plans for aiding the' cotton growers. The situation brought about by the limited supply of calcium ar senate, the most effective poison yet found in fighting the boll weevil, was disgrussed at length. Government experts had warned that the arsenate supply In sight would suffice to treat only a small percentage of the cotton area In the South. , Resolutions adopted provide for the appointment of a special com ryiiftoe from the Cotton Commis sion to co-operate with the United States Department of Agriculture and he various State olflcials In securing the largest possible sup- ply of arsenate. When an ade- quate supply of the poison is run available to cotton growers the (iua.Lria w --w-w.. i resolutions urged that cultural di- torn imt t ram rn FAME AT LARGE Prisoner Saws Way Through Window Bars and Disappears. too AummTirsi Dee. B. Ar- h,. t. Phllllns. husband of Mrs. Clara Phillips, convicted "hammer murderess" who escap ed from the Los Angeles county Jail early today, was eld In techni cal custody pending further de velopments tonight, according to announcement from the sherifTs office. . t rn i-Knv.r.v.a Dec. 5 Armour L. Phillips, whose wife. Clara Phll flnnviMwi murderess, escaped from the Los Angeles County Jail last night, appeared at the office of her attorney late today and sent word to th sheriffs office he was ready to be Interviewed about the escape. , Phillips made a statement In which he said he knew nothing about the escaDe or where his wife had gone. He gave a detailed ac- U count of his movements tor me past 24 hours. Clara Phlliins. who escaeed from the Los Angeles County Jail early today where she was Deing nem under a sentence, of ten years' Im prisonment after conviction of the hammer murder of Alberta Mead ows, was reported as having been seen In the Southwest section of the city eight hours aner ner es cape this morning. Up until the hour of his voluntary appearance no trace of Armour Phillips had been found. It had been said he disappeared yesterday. A deDUtv sheriff notified the sheriff s offic today that h saw a woman resembling Clara Phil lips and a man answering the de scription of her husband in an automobile at 14 o'clock In th Southwest residence section about five miles from the Jail. Deputy sheriffs reported that Phillips sacked up all his belongings yes- (wa-l m ttf feJ MRS. PHILLIPS 01 RIMER MURDER RELAT 0 JUDGE TAKING JS SEAT Nash Rules Grady Not In eligible for Alleged Af filiation With Body. CATHOLIC BUILDING BURNED IN CANADA emnnf sawi arnRj TAitaninroB botbl ray sHnrg BiHhinvi RALEIGH, Dec. 5 "There Is no law that would prevent Judge Henry A. Grady from taking his oath." Assistant Attorney-General Frank Nash declared today when aniM'Q lor an opinion ib iu ; istenre of any legal barrier against the Clinton lawyer's assumption of the Sixth Judicial District bench. to which he was elected November ""'" ' " - t... . , V, I n 11... n fillin . 1 ,4,i, ttiu I ii K iit K an In the absence of a law that , would keep him from taking nis oath oi fittice, it is surmised, tnax I there Is nothing now Justifying im- i peachment proceedings against him. 1 The attorney-general's opinion i answers apparent demands from 1 many quarters for action, by the ! State to keep Mr. Grady off the '. bench or to Impeach him If he takcR the oath serving as ; the head of the Klan in North ' arouna. as auegca in u siau-im.ni i in New ork newspapers by Hev. Oscar Haywood. Baptist evan- ! gelist and Klan lecturer, which was rc-publlshcd In this State. Judge Grady has maintained ab solute silence as to his connections with the Klan since publication of the Haywood statement. Efforts to procure a statement from him have proved unavailing. This bu reau telegraphed him at Clinton early last week asking that ha con firm or deny the report of his Klan affiliations, but at this date no re ply has been received. The general presumption is that Judge Grady considers his rela tions with the Klan no one's busi ness, in which he can perhaps maintain the privilege in the ab sence of legislation that can hit the order or its officials. He has vio lated no law by becoming a mem ber of the organization or assum ing its leadership. A Clinton news despatch a few daya ago stated KLAN ONS that had his Klaiv ewnectlonat ' dCtrm Exists On COH been known when he raif- for of j c floe he would have been defeated, but that is a matter of public opin ion and public opinion can hardly affect his assuming the judicial post now. Talk of a legislative fight on public officials who are members of the Klan has been frequent, suoh talk lacking, however, the flavor of responsible State official dom. Senator J. R. Baggett will introduce a bill In the General As sembly prohibiting the wearing of masks In public, hut this will have no relation to officials' connection with the Klan. In spite of all the talk about the Klan no law exists in North Caro lina that can toueh it, according to the assistant attorney-general. The law forbidding "secret political and military organisations," specifies that they shall he organiswitloni for the purpose of "compassing or furthering any political object, or aiding the success of any political party or organisation or resisting the jaw. Before the Klan could be tou(.hed, proof would be neces nary Liiai hb uujeut in uiv uuiu- palmg ot the specifically mention- ed purposes. It would have to be proved an Individual Joined for a like motive. So, as matters stand now. Judge Grady can tell those who are after his Judicial scalp to. keep hands off. He can take his oath and alt on the bench and at the saem time lead the Ku Klux Klan In North Carolina. That In doing this he is not violating the law Is definite, according to Mr. Nash. Whether it constitutes an unsafe situation and against the public good ia a matter for public, determination, and the Legislature may bring it up next month. That would call for a determination as to the good or evil of the Klan, however, In advance of a judgment as to Mr. Grady's stand. The principal object raised to Judge Grady Is th judiciary par ticipation, of all'other government agencies, in an order of the char acter of the Klan and the fact that he is supposed to be Its head adds a bang to the opposition. PRICELESS HISTORIC RECORDS DESTROYED OKA. Quebec, Dee. 6. Priceless historic records of the early days of New France, removed to this village in 1821 for preservation, were lost today In a fire that swept the rest house of the Gen tleman of StSulplc, part of which was used a a presbytery for the parish. The property damage was estimated at nearly 1100.000 The Sulpiclan Church, next to the burned building and the con vent of the Sisters of the Congre gation of Notre Dame, adjoining, escaped the flames. The burned structure contained 40 rooms and served during the Summer a a rest house for mem bers of the Sulpiclan Order. It was situate en tha shor of the Lake of Two Mountains. KLAIC DEXTER BLAME IV ANY WAY FOR FIRES MONTREAL, Dec. 6. A denial that th Ku Klux Klan was in any was responsible for the series of conflagrations which have occur red during the last fortnight In Catholic Institutions In widely separated cities of Canada, was contained In a telegram received by the authorities tonight from William J. Simmons, of Atlanta, Ga., Imperial wixard of th Klan. "Authorls you to make categor ical denial that the Ku Klux Klan is In any way responsiblej far in cendiary fires In Canada or else . -i IP i-i ia f tmtl Progressive Bloc Gets Favorable Would Have Direct Election, Of Opposition From White House 1 mmmzt?s tizmm-mcs Yn-im-j, Ki.rnf-tfr? . x.. mm a 1 ViWMVmWfMWX-?CP?i&A Rai5a.X54 --. r.-" - ja-x-V jm u n I Will Investigate Alleged Control Of Weevil Poison Declare Combination of Pro- trol and Supply. WASHINGTON, Dee. 6. -Th Department of Justice today ad. vised Senator Harris, Democrat, Georgia, that an agent would be appointed to investigate charges that a combination of producers exists to control the supply and price of calcium arsenate, used by the farmers In fighting the boll weevil which destroys cotton. Special Assistant Fowler advised Senator Harris that "the Depart ment ia anxious to aid the farm ers of the South all it possibly can in the matter and as quickly as an agent could be procured a thorough Investigation of the sit uation will be made." Senator Harris requested the At torney General and Federal Trade Commission to make an investiga tion but the latter said they were without funds. TREATMENT F 0 INSTATEGOAL Civic and Benevolent Or ganizations Pledged to Forward Movements. IvAUE IGM. Dec. S. Ptedra to try to secure adequate treatment ror tne crippled children of North Carolina and to support actively a bill for state-wide mothers' aid together with endorsement of a bill raising the age of consent and providing 1 equal protection for both sexes and another to give both parents equal guardianship of children and also approval of programs ror .improvement of Uie Jackson Training School, the Cas well Training School, Samarcand Manor and the State Sanatorium for Tuberculosis marked the meet ing of representative of clvio and oenevolent organizations fror- varlous cities in the State which was held here today. Organisations represented were the. Rotary, Kiwanis and I Jons Lions Clubs, Masons, Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias, Junior Order and B. P. O. E. and the North Car olina . Legislative Council . of Women. This meeting was called to con alder, tha problem of child welfare In North Carolina by Roger Moore, of Wilmington, who presided. General statement of the many aspect of this problem was made by Mr. Kate Burr Johnson, State commissioner of public weliare. Approximately 10,000 children have bean handled by clerks of the court and superintendents of public welfare In North Carolina during the 13 months ending with the fiscal year June 30. 1922. ac cording to the records of the State Board of Charities and Public Welfare as given at the confer ence by Mrs. Johnson. Increased Institutional facilities for caring lor the dependent, delinquent, neglectad and defective child: ad equate probation in connection with the Institutions and with Juvenile courts an a State moth ers' aid law designed to keep the child in his own home when moral and physical condition of the mother permits were the chief need stressed by the commissioner f publlo welfare. CRIPPLED you r j THE APPEAL IS HEARD BILLY BORNE NEW BERN FOLK BE NG-A DEO Morrison Duo There To dayRoad Construction Will Be Sought. NBW BERN, Dec. S. (By The Associated Prpss.) Aided by ctti- rens of all walks of life, hundreds of the men made homeless by last Friday's tire which swept nearly 40 blocks of the city , and rased more than a thousand buildings today began the work of clearing away tho debris. Dynamite was used expensively to lower twitUs and chimneys which survived the blaxe. Governor Morrison, who was to have arrived here tonight, sent a message ot Mayor Edward Clark In which he stated he would not arrive until tomorrow when he would be accomparled by State Highway Commissioner Frank N. Page. . The Governor stated he would then make a survey of the ruins, Mayor Clark tonight stated that the highway commissioner wmilri be requested to give assistance in, ouiicuuiing a roaa Dunaing pro ject which would furnish employ ment to several hundred unem ployed negroes and aid road con struction in this fection. Governor Morrison, Senator Simmons and others. are to be asked to. bring their Influence to bear on the com missioner to grant this plea. Carter Taylor, chief of the Southern division of the Red Cross, who Is in charge of the re lief work here, Issued a statement in which he said the situation was well In hand and that every ef fort was being mad to prevent any possible epidemic. Mr. Taylor said the negro section has been di vided into four districts and Tied Cross nurses will Inspect sanitary condition. He stated that good progress waa being made toward relieving the unemployment and thanked the army and navy de partments for their response to the appeals for aid. Financial aid continues to reach the committee In charge. Oolds boro is raising Ave thousand dol lars. Klnaton, Washington, Green ville, Wilmington, Ilocky Mount and other cities are raising large sum to aid the sufferer. Mayor Clark told The Associat ed Press tonight that he wished to express his trratitude to the state at large. PLAX WAGE SETTLEMENT FOR BITCMINOI S WORKERS CHICAGO, Dec. 5. A plan of settlement. unanimously agreed upon by representative coal opera tor rrom 15 bituminous states here today will pave the way, they predicted, for an understanding when they meet with the miners' representatives tomorrow which will lead to a wage settlement. While details of the phut wen not given out. operators Intimated they had made enough concessions j to make the plan attractive. rorzEVs leaves Detroit FOR WASHINGTON TODAS" DETROIT, Dec. 8. James Couzena, appointed to the United States Senate last week to All the unexpired term of Truman H. Newberry, resigned as mayor uf Detroit tonight and plans to leave tcr Washington tomorrow. He probably will be sworn in aa sena tor oa Thursday. BY All Geologists Asking - -Why and How Land Sank Into a Lake Point of land 30 Frft tyah,- v ant wi-ei nr 4" our irem t V Disappear, -v"" ; ' v ". SUPERIOR, Wis., Dec. 8. The disappearance of an entire point of n.i 9a .ib. . . a . i . Yi,u v ' mud mmu iitur aum in hrea into the upper Big Eauclalre Lake on the chain of four lakes lo cated It miles Kast of Gordon, Wis., in Bayfield County, hold th attention of geologists olf this a tlon. The land disappeared beneath the water of the lake between 9: SO p. m., Thursday,' November 30, and early Friday morning. A survey of the spot showed that the entire point from the slop ing shore line to the 30-foot em bankment had dropped into th lake leaving a sher 80-foot' precl plece. DI REGEDENTMADE Y YEARS AGO Failure to Deliver Annual Message on Convening Brings Discussion. WASHINGTON, Deo. 5. A precedent established early In the history of the republic, was broken by President Harding today when he failed to deliver his annual message to Congress which was convened In regular session. It has been the custom for the chief executive to deliver their messages In person or In writing on either the first or second day of the ses sion, according to officials of the capitol, the only time this prac tice has been broken heretofore was in HBn, when President Pierce deferred his message until the last day of December because of the Inability of the House to organize. At that scselon it required 133 ballots of the House to elect Its speaker. At the White House It was stated tbat the President probably woull deliver his message on the state of the I'nlon Thuiaday or Friday Officials did not indicate the cause of the delay, although It Is un derstood that the executive having kole responslbillt for his-recommendations to Congress, was weighing carefully the program he would outline before th Senate and House In Joint sestion. Pressure of public business wa-t believed to be In part responsible for the delay but there were also intimations that the President, be cause of recent official discussions. reit it would be the part of wis dom to give a few more dan' study to certain questions. There was a suggestion that! emong these question was a plan J ir legislation to aid the farmers. The President discussed this sub- j ject late last week with Senator Watson of Indiana and a dozen I other Republican Senators and It waa believed possible this nmcnn had not been worked out In all Pa f ciuuis ana ini more time would b required to put It In final form. The executive also discussed th Immigration question at leng'h with his cabinet today and It was Indicated that he might In his message also discuss this subject from the standpoint of restriction. The shipping bill and annual ap propriation meat-urea are already listed for disposal at th present session. HARD Nb BREAKS MAN Report; President; Is Met With EPFO T TO PRESS OSA i'J TEST STREN Qualified Electors Would Vote Direct for Presi- . dent Under Plan. CHANGE "WOULD BE ; CONSTITUTIONAL Would Change Data , of Beginning of Tenure and ' of Inauguration. WASHINGTON, Dec. I. Mem bera of the new Progressive Bloc In Congress got Into action today but at the very outset ran Into White House opposition. Led by Senator Norrls, Republi can. Nebraska, bloc members alt ting on the Senate Agricultural Committee obtained a favorable report, from that committee for a constitutional amendment provid ing for abolition of the electoral College and 'or direct election of President and Vive-President and for abolition of the long period of time usually elapsing between a Congressional election and th reg ular meeting of the new Congress. Such an amendment form on of the planks In the platform adopt- -ed by the bloo at It organization meeting last week. Opposition on "tha part of Pres ident Harding to any such change thy a White House apokejmwn soon after the Senate Agriculture Com mittee resolution waa laid before , th Senate and assigned to a place on tne caienoar or ousineas posts administration leader in tha Me--at likewise voioad t. thalr dtaap-" Droval of tha amendment and to night It- appeared -that any efforts by th bloo to. press th proposal might .'bring, on a light which would test th power of th Pro- JgraacUve tact Inn. WJtnvTOteh State -. lNantg EieouUvo Dlreefc . Thp proposed amendment would provide spevlfloajly that "th choice of each Stat for President and Vice-President shall be deter mined at a general election of th qualified electors of such State," thua permitting voter to cast their ballots directly for President and Vice-President. Th vote would b anvaaed by th Senate and Ho us meeting In joint ses sion, each State being given a many vote for this purpose aa It has Senator and ; Representative. If such a canvass by Btatea should dlaolos laok ot a majority then tha President would be chosen br a majority vote of th House "from' the persons haylntr the highest number, not exceed ing three, on the list ow those voted for a President." The vota for Vice-President would be can vassed In a similar manner, ex cept that In event of no choice bv majority ot the voters th Senate would select that official aa be tween the two persona receiving the largest number of votes. The committee In reporting th j amendment resolution through 1W r-s-,i tii. c . iki i - . - i LfltUl DDiniur HuirU) fu.nivw out that the proposed system might result In the election of a President and Vice-President from different parties "a nat ter of fundamental Justice we ought to be protected by law in taking should we desire to do It." -Terms of Congressmen Would Also Bis Changed. The amendment would further provide that the terms of Sena tors and Representatives should begin the first Monday In January following the biennial Congres sional election and that Congress should meet each year oa that date. This would wipe out tha session of the old Congress aftes the biennial elections. Another provision of the amend ment .would be to chang th data. ot inauguration of th President from March 4 to tha third Monday in January. White Hons officials In present ing President Harding' views oa the proposal represented th ex ecutive as feeling that constant changes in the constitution were unnecessary and In soma cases unwise. Mr. Harding. It was said, re garded the present procedure un der the constitution whereby a new Congress does not meet for more than a year after its elec tion as one of the wisest steps taken by the nation's founding fathers as it allows passion to cool. The agriculture committee In Its report, however, took an opposite view, declaring "the present con dition of affair is not only unfair to the citizenship at large wh have expressed their will aa t what legislation they desire but it is likewise unfair to their serv ants whom they have elected te carry out this will." Independent Candidate Could Run Without Money. With respect to abolition of th electoral college the committee declared its amendment would make It possible for an Independ ent candidate to run for President , without establishing an elaborate political machine in every 8tat which "means th expenditure of - a vast sum of money." 1 When.J,he eunendment and re- ome members informally exV pressed surprise at such reaolui tion being reported out by th agricultural committee, but com : mittee members aald they regard ed to course aa proper, tnaainnc toi n wmi te Sara ,
Asheville Citizen (Asheville, N.C.)
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Dec. 6, 1922, edition 1
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